Vehicle door handle units have been known which are equipped with a detection section including a sensor or switch for locking/unlocking operation of a vehicle door. Namely, these vehicle door handle units can automatically perform processing for locking/unlocking the vehicle door or opening/closing-related processing, including opening/closing of the vehicle door, in response to a vehicle driver or passenger, carrying an IC card or the like, touching the detection section. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2005-330752 (JP 2005-330752 A), for example, discloses such a vehicle door handle unit where a depressing portion of a push switch is exposed on the outer surface of a vehicle door handle section.
FIG. 7 is a view explanatory of a fundamental construction of the vehicle door handle unit disclosed in JP 2005-330752 A, and FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 7. The disclosed vehicle door handle unit 200 includes a door-side member (door-side concave section) 202 fixed to a vehicle door (not shown), a support section 203 provided on an upper reverse surface portion of the door-side member 202, a handle section 205 pivotably attached to the support section 203 via a handle shaft 204, torsion springs (biasing members) 206 wound on the support section 203 and resiliently acting between the support section 203 and the handle section 205, and a push switch 209 supported by the door-side member 202 and having a depressing portion 208 exposed through an opening 207 of the handle section 205. The opening 207 is located close to one end of the handle section 205 as viewed in an axial direction of the support section 203. However, in the disclosed vehicle door handle unit, where the push switch (detection section) 209 is exposed on the outer surface of the handle section 205, the support section 203 supporting the handle section 205 is provided on the inner side of the vehicle door (i.e., side facing the interior of the vehicle), the door handle unit 200 would require a great overall depth or thickness, and thus it is difficult to apply the vehicle door handle unit 200 to small-size vehicles etc, having a small layout space. Further, because the push switch 209 is located close to the one end of the handle section 205 as viewed in the axial direction of the support section 203, the door handle unit 200 would have a poor usability.